ANKARA/ISTANBUL
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke Thursday with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, and said Beijing supports the EU with more strategic autonomy.
During the phone conversation, Xi said that since his visit to France last May, cooperation between the two countries has made a lot of progress.
“China always views Europe as an independent pole in a multipolar world, and supports an EU enjoying more strategic autonomy,” Xi said, according to a statement on X by Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The Chinese president added that his country is willing to work with the EU to meet global challenges and achieve outcomes that benefit both, and the world.
“China and France, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council, independent major countries, and founders and builders of the postwar international order, should strengthen solidarity and cooperation, uphold the authority and standing of the UN, safeguard international trade rules and world economic order, and practice true multilateralism,” he said.
Xi also stressed that the two sides need to enhance strategic communication, build consensus and seize opportunities to deepen cooperation in investment, aviation, space, nuclear energy and other traditional areas.
“While expanding cooperation into emerging areas such as the digital sector, green development, bio-pharmaceutics and silver economy, and enhance people-to-people ties to promote friendship between the two nations,” he suggested.
Macron reaffirmed France’s desire to continue building a strong economic relationship with China.
“Chinese investments are welcome in France,” he said, emphasizing that “our companies must benefit from fair competition conditions in both countries. This is fundamental.”
He said both agreed to move forward “as soon as possible” on Cognac exports to China, describing it as “essential for our producers.”
Turning to international affairs, Macron said France and China share the same objective on Russia’s war in Ukraine, “a durable and robust peace,” which, he stressed, must begin with “an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
On the Middle East, Macron underlined the need to advance toward “a political solution capable of ensuring peace and security for all.”
He noted that France and China will work together in the lead-up to the international conference on a two-state solution, scheduled for June in New York and co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
Macron also welcomed China’s high-level participation in the upcoming UN Conference on the Ocean.
